Barrack St, Cork city

€295,000

Size

76 sq m (818 sq ft)

Bedrooms

2

Bathrooms

2

BER

C

BOSCO, the redhead TV puppet best remembered for his catchphrase ‘Come with me, through the magic door,” would have had a field day at No 31 Prosperity Square, a house with the deceptive spatial properties of a Tardis.

Deceptive facade at No 31Deceptive facade at No 31

Viewed from the street, it seems as though half the house is missing – and that’s being generous. All told, the façade measures less than 5’ wide.

When the owner first spotted it in a property advert, he liked the look of the old stone wall that curved around the back garden, but dismissed it on the basis of size. “I thought it was too small, and thought no more of it,” he says.

That opinion changed after viewing another house in the Square that had been renovated and modernised. Seeing that the unassuming terraced homes had more to them than met the eye, he took a proper look at No 31. “We viewed it, and I thought, ‘Definitely, this could be great’,” he says.

Cityscape near Prosperity SquareCityscape near Prosperity Square

On a corner site, it’s one of just two homes in the square that still retain a back garden — the others have been surrendered to extensions — and it’s the larger garden of the two, a delightful, south-facing nook, enclosed by the old stone wall, high enough to ensure complete privacy for weekend barbecues or morning coffee.

Largest garden in Prosperity SquareLargest garden in Prosperity Square

It’s the kind of secluded outdoor space that many city centre dwellers can only dream of.

The owner’s father, a carpenter, agreed that the house had excellent potential, and so he bought it in 2016 for €150,000, moving in before Christmas.

Like any good tradesman — he’s an electrician — he followed the sage advice to get to know the house before tearing any walls down or drawing up new floor plans.

He and his partner (she can take credit for the décor) observed how the sun moved through the rooms, where the draughts came in, what spaces felt cramped or just right, before going gangbusters on renovations in 2018.

Attractive hallway tilingAttractive hallway tiling

The house was rewired and replumbed, with much of the work done by father and son. An architect friend translated the couple’s ideas into a thoughtful design; and an existing extension — galley kitchen and downstairs loo — was flattened and replaced with a space that wouldn’t look out of place on a 2025 list of Clever Design Ideas for Small Homes.

Open plan kitchen diningOpen plan kitchen dining

 New windows were fitted and engineered oak floors were laid.

The house is pretty as a picture now, from the pale-pink front door and attractive, tiled hallway, to the cosy front living room with open fireplace, through to the smartly designed open-plan kitchen/dining room, which feels more New York loft than historic Cork townhouse.

Cosy living roomCosy living roomStylish kitchenStylish kitchen

 Warm, oak countertops and inky black cabinetry dominate a space designed for cooking, relaxing, and entertaining. The back wall is fully glazed and slides open to the garden. It’s a light-filled, inviting space and it makes a dramatic difference to what was a two-up, two-down home, where a French polisher called Lester once reared a family of five.

Upstairs, a new shower room was installed (there’s a small downstairs loo, too, with a window that the owner uncovered while scraping off plaster).

UpstairsUpstairsDownstairsDownstairs

 Plaster stripped back in the main bedroom revealed a redbrick wall and a redbrick fireplace. It’s very country cottage.

Redbrick revelationRedbrick revelationKid's roomKid’s room

 A second bedroom was for the children — they have two now — hence they are relocating to a bigger home off College Rd, where the handy owner of Prosperity Square has converted two flats into a family home, albeit without his late Dad’s help.

The owner reckons No 31 Prosperity Square is a terrific house for a young person or young couple starting out, or even a young family. The agent selling it, Áine McLoughlin of AML Property Services, says bidding has already gone well above the asking price of €295,000.

“It looks so dinky out front, but there is plenty going on behind,” the agent says.

“It ticks so many boxes on so many levels. The location is fantastic: A 15-minute walk from UCC, less than 10 minutes into the city centre.

“And it’s such a lovely house, you could literally drop your bags and move in.”

Its proximity to University College Cork means No 31 is attracting interest from parents of third-level students, thinking of investing in accommodation close to the university.

But the principal interest in this 76 sq m, 19th-century property is from would-be owner/occupiers, who love the quaint and quiet square — originally built to house workers and tradespeople in Cork’s tightly-knit south inner city — and the sense of community.

Moreover, the neighbourhood is becoming a template for inner-city rejuvenation, with great work done on both nearby Douglas St and Barrack St, turning it into a vibrant city quarter.

VERDICT: A dream starter home, but first-time buyers will have to contend with very competitive bidding.